Dripping Kalk in a large setup

[Kevin McG]

Ok... after listening to the talkingreef podcast regarding dosing kalk I realized I really should be doing this. I am currently dosing the Randy Holmes-Farley 2 part including mag. additive. I was under the assumption that was all I needed until listening to that broadcast

I need a way to accomplish this in a large system, I have appx. 230 gallons total and evaporate about 3/4 of a gallon this time of year. Currently I have a 32 gallon brute barrel that my ro/di unit goes into (no float switch) in which I have a pump connected to a hose. Every night I top off the sump by simply sticking the hose into the sump and fill to my desired level. The way it was explained in the podcast was to just add kalkwasser to the topoff water but I am constantly adding water to that brute barrel and the level is constantly changing depending on how lazy I am keeping the barrel full.


Any suggestions for doing this? I want to keep things as simple as possible also

 

[NateHanson]

I think the safest simplest way to dose kalk to a big system is with a kalk reactor. Takes all the manual work out of it, and avoids just dumping a gallon of pH 14 kalkwasser into the sump every evening (when the pH is already high!)

 

[ScottM]

can you explain the NEED to dose kalk from the PODcast? if your PH, alk and CA levels are stable.....is it needed?
I can understand the need to do so for a lower PH or a compensation for the total tank consumption, but if those aren't an issue why dose?

 

[Kevin McG]

can you explain the NEED to dose kalk from the PODcast? if your PH, alk and CA levels are stable.....is it needed?
I can understand the need to do so for a lower PH or a compensation for the total tank consumption, but if those aren't an issue why dose?

Not sure I meant "NEED" and I guess maybe knowing whether or not it is a necessity at this time. I am finding my level for CA & Alk pretty stable and on my website I have them documented pretty well (link). The only thing I am noticing is my PH is dropping to about 7.98 in the early am but gets up to 8.25 in the evening. Would NOT dripping Kalk be a problem as my corals grow?[FONT=&quot] [/FONT]

 

[ScottM]

i run a big reactor that the effluent PH has a direct effect on my tank (ph is 6.5) I drip kalk to keep my ph up.

for some, thier reactor is unable to provide the levels of alk needed. i run the 300g store tank effluent at 23 dkh to maintain 11.
for those that can't dial their reactor that high, they need to supplement with kalk to maintain stability.

you could drip Kalk to raise your PH to maintain 8.2-8.4, but when the lights go out and photosynthisis stops, expect a swing.

are you running a fuge on reverse lighting?

I am not saying that you shouldn't dose, but i know a few people who have lost amazing tanks to kalk dosers gone bad.

as you put it......

I want to keep things as simple as possible also

adding a kalk doser is only more to mix.

 

[dz6t]

Frequent water change beats any kind of dosing...also, it is simple.

 

[Kevin McG]

So what I am gathering dosing kalk may not be something I need to do. I don't run a reverse lighing schedule on my system due to the refugium is above the tank to the right and would shine into the display at night. Something I should of thought of when setting the system up I guess and will do it a bit differently on the next one.

 

[Kevin McG]

Frequent water change beats any kind of dosing...also, it is simple.

Every 3rd or 4th Sat. I do about 30 gallons. I plan on getting a bigger container to hold the water for water changes so more can be changed.

 

[Moe_K]

Frequent water change beats any kind of dosing...also, it is simple.

Not always true. If the salt mix being used is low in alk and calcium, a million water changes won't elevate the levels as desired.

 

[ScottM]

Frequent water change beats any kind of dosing...also, it is simple.

simple......
a 25% water change on my display at the store is 1 160g bucket of salt.
a 25% waterchange on a 250g setup is 60 gal.
that adds up quickly. and if you do it by hand... boy does that SUCK!

water changes change on my display runs me $500.00 a year in salt alone....
Water changes for Kev runs ~175.00 a year in salt.

dosing kalk to maintain unstable levels......20.00 of mr wages lime per year.
thats math even casey could enjoy.

 

[Kevin McG]

dosing kalk to maintain unstable levels......20.00 of mr wages lime per year.
thats math even casey could enjoy.

So basically screw the water changes and buy stock in pickling lime and Casey would have to break out the cell phone calculator for that one

 

[buddie]

kevin pm's not working right now -- it is 19 william rd billerica ma 01821

 

[Kevin McG]

kevin pm's not working right now -- it is 19 william rd billerica ma 01821

Got it

 

[starrfish]

Kevin - I drip kalk in a very large system (500g total). I drip to keep my calcium, alk AND ph stable. You can take precautions to prevent overdosing. Here's my setup:

- 55g drum with RO and pickling lime. At the bottom of the drum I made an eggcrate shelf where I attached my drip tubing. The shelf is high enough where the solid kalk sits underneath it. The tubing is attached to the top of the shelp with a tie wrap. There is no way the tubing could ever slip down into the sold kalk at the bottom of the drum.
- I use a Reeffanatic float switch and controller in my sump. This is an excellent float switch because it has two switches - you can set it up so one serves as a backup in case the other fails. It would be very unlikely that both would fail. I have them secured in my sump with tie wraps on a piece of acrylic - I don't use the suction cups because they could come undone and cause a "failure". Here's the link: http://www.reeffanatic.com/products/float-switch-and-level-control/
- I run the kalk drip 24/7 for my evaporation loss. I'm dripping about 5g per day.

I've had this system set up for almost 2 years and never had a problem with it. It's a very simple design and very easy to maintain.

Another thing you can do to keep your ph up is run an airline from the air intake of your skimmer to outside. Pulling fresh air into your skimmer will help keep your ph up - it has to do with the carbon dioxide in the air and in the tank water. Randy wrote an article on this:

http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/2004-09/rhf/index.php

Hope this helps.

Daire